another leather question

A

Ash

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I've finally started revamping a camera of mine (large format actually) but I wanted to ask, since you all are full of knowledge:


I've started removing the paint from the wood, and mahogany and beech is SO much nicer than battleship grey!



Of course, the bellows are still grey. Apparently they're dyed, not painted. It would be SO much easier if I could just paint over the original colour...





I guess painting over the grey is a bad bad idea. So how to I re-dye the leather?



Can I buy waterproof dyes suitable for leather in the high street? (UK)




I had the thought of whether shoe polish would work, but you gotta scrub that stuff on, and I don't want to destroy the bellows!




-Jesse1dog sorry I've taken ages looking for the sheet leather. I've found some if you still want it!
-Noel, I'll get that loader off to you by the end of the week.
 
If it were mine, I'd take it to a shoe repair shop and ask them to dye it. Most have a lot of experience dyeing ladies shoes and you could be sure it was permanent.
 
Ash,
The spirit based dyes work very well. However, the colour range is fairly limited. Usually just black, brown and if you are lucky perhaps blue. There are many more "other" shoe/leather colourings but these are paint based rather than being true dyes and will flake fairly quickly.

Kim
 
Considering the colour of the wood, and all the examples of really nice looking field cameras, I think I'd be best sticking with black anyway.

So I want a spirit-based shoe dye, or thereabouts? :)

I'd take the camera to a shoe repair shop, but I'm afraid Swindon isn't a very versatile town, I'd get laughed out the shop!


EDIT:
This is what I'm working to remove: http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/DSCF0187.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/DSC00818.jpg

This is the colour of the wood underneath (I was sure it's Beech and Mahogany but I may be wrong!):
DSC00826.jpg


I'm tempted by blue, but I think black bellows would suit the wood colour a lot better.


or maybe brown would be best?? But over grey would it not go a bit nasty?
 
Last edited:
Ash,
Go to a more traditional cobblers rather than the 5 min heel bars and they should be able to help. I am not at home at the moment or I could check on the makes/names of the stuff I use.

Kim
 
Ash,

Are you absolutely sure it is leather?

My Wista is specced as leather, but it is most definitely plastic and i don't think anything will change the colour of that (well, OK, paint would, but you know what I mean).

Staying close to the original colour will probably give the best result.
 
Ash, if the shoe repair shop can't help you with this maybe a car dealer, especially a used car dealer, can. They tend to use some "makeup" to have the cars at least look like it's worth the money they ask for. And they don't want to dye the leather seats and the pants/shirts of the potential buyers. ;)
 
Kim,
It's a pity the actual 'Cobblers Shop' was rubbish. All they had was Dylon, which I was warned WILL come off on my hands "if you get it warm". What a bunch of...

John,
It's 60-odd years old, and it looks, feels, smells and wears like leather. There are corners where the ageing is visible, and I can see the original tannin underneath.

Michael,
Thanks for the hint. To be honest I think Swindon will be rubbish as you've not see the state of cars over here! online it is!



Here are two sites I've looked at:

http://www.leprevo.co.uk/dyes.html
They seem the most comprehensive - I've sent an email to find out what's best.

http://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/Grison.htm
Not sure if that's gonna be any good though.
 
Ash said:
John,
It's 60-odd years old, and it looks, feels, smells and wears like leather. There are corners where the ageing is visible, and I can see the original tannin underneath.
Here are two sites I've looked at:

http://www.leprevo.co.uk/dyes.html
They seem the most comprehensive - I've sent an email to find out what's best.

http://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/Grison.htm
Not sure if that's gonna be any good though.
Click to expand...

In that case, I think you probably need a spirit based dye, and you may well have great difficulty in changing the colour far from what it is now. that is to say, if it is now black, don't expect to be able to change it to cherry red. You may achieve a blue/green etc hue, but you probably won't make much impression on it unless you use a paint of some description.

I didn't check the two site you listed, but do know of the car seat restoration products (liquid leather, etc)- again, these really only work to brighten up/repair the colour you already have. Basically, they dye any cracks and soften the leather somewhat.

Anyhoo - don't forget that black was good enough for Henry Ford for quite a long time :)
 
Ash said:
John check my original post - the bellows are grey.
Click to expand...

Arrggh!

Sorry - not concentrating :) I suppose that means you can get a different colour, but with a slightly grey cast?

BTW, sold my MPP and have installed the Wista, I just love that cherrywood!
 
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